Urban Heat Islands Learning Session

​Come together with other MCJ members to learn about urban heat islands, their causes, and their implications. We’ll be having a semi-structured roundtable discussion, with some prompt resources included below.

Reference material/resources linked here

​Guiding questions to anchor our discussion:

​Definitions and Causes

• ​What is a heat island and what causes them to form in cities?

​Impacts and Effects

• ​How do heat islands impact human health and well-being?

​Solutions and Mitigation Strategies

• ​What are some strategies cities could implement to mitigate urban heat islands?

• ​What challenges might cities face in trying to implement heat island mitigation strategies?

• ​What would the key enablers be to successful mitigation strategies?

​Individual Actions

• ​What can individuals do to help reduce heat islands where they live?

​Equity and Justice

• ​Do you think heat islands are an issue of equity? Why or why not?

​Future Projections

• ​How might heat islands change in our area in the coming decades due to climate change?

​Miscellaneous

• ​What other questions do we have about heat islands that weren't answered today?